Discovering Black Optical in Oklahoma City
Recently, I was in Oklahoma City and stumbled upon a fantastic optical store in the same middle-of-nowhere shopping center as Matthew Kenney’s raw restaurant. Intrigued, I decided to explore the store, hoping to find a pair of Dries van Noten sunglasses by Linda Farrow from several seasons ago. Despite my farfetched request, the staff at Black Optical was incredibly accommodating, even though they didn’t carry Linda Farrow products. The experience left a lasting impression, especially when I walked away with an eyeglass case designed by Black Optical.
A Memorable Experience with Black Optical
Every time I pull my glasses out of my purse, I’m reminded of my encounter with this great store and just how much I appreciate the design of their eyeglass case. Wanting to learn more, I reached out to Gary Black, the owner and founder of Black Optical. We had a conversation while he was at the original Tulsa store, where he feels most at home—on the selling floor. As we spoke, I realized that the case was just an accessory to the real story.
The Journey into Eyewear
KR: How did you get involved in eyeglasses?
GB: I worked at Sunglass Hut for eleven years, right after high school. I had no dreams of working in retail but moved up the ranks, spending the final five years working in retail development, focusing on shops within shops like in Macy’s, etc.
From Sunglass Hut to Black Optical
KR: Wow! And you just went right from working at Sunglass Hut to owning two stunning retail operations of your own? How did you get the money together to fit out an optical store and stock it with eyeglass frames that average well over $300?
GB: I did what everyone recommends you not do. I sold my 401K, cashed in all my vacation pay (six weeks) from Sunglass Hut, and then got a small loan.
KR: And from there?
GB: We broke even the first month we opened.
Building a Loyal Clientele
KR: That’s incredible.
GB: I had built a very loyal client list from Sunglass Hut, and they all came to Black Optical.
KR: I’m thinking of our local Sunglass Hut where people go because it’s convenient and they remember they lost their sunglasses—more impulse than wanting to get “fit†for a pair of glasses. I can’t really picture those guys establishing a loyal clientele, much less having a deep knowledge of the merchandise.
GB: I worked really hard to get to know my customers and to get them to want to come back. I treated it like a boutique. Employees at the Tulsa Sunglass Hut stayed in the job much longer on average than at any other location, and when I left to open Black Optical, the annual sales there fell by 300k in the first year. When I opened Black Optical, I knew I wanted to create a place where people receive great service and where I stock only what I truly like.
The Story Behind the Eyeglass Case
KR: Tell me a bit about the glass case I bought. What was the inspiration behind that?
GB: My wife struggled with those huge sunglass cases in her purse, often ending up just throwing the glasses in without the case, which led to scratches. I had the same problem with glasses falling out of my pocket when bending over to pick up the kids. I love heritage design products and remembered seeing something similar to these cases, possibly in a photo or among our family’s belongings. It took two years to develop these cases, finding the right fabrication and production, which we finally did using Makr Carry Goods out of Florida.
Future Plans for Black Optical
KR: Any plans for more Black Opticals or products?
GB: I’ve thought about creating our own line of glasses, but honestly, there are already such great options out there that I don’t think we could do better. However, down the road, I’d like to open Black Opticals in high-end resort hotels. These stores often carry outdated merchandise, like four-season-old Prada glasses at current retail prices, and people buy them because they’re on vacation and spending money. How great would it be for them to have access to new, quality frames?
